Chapter 107107 Conscience

Tu Lanxun rushed into the car and heard a more detailed introduction to the case.

This evening, residents of villages and towns around Lucheng called the emergency number, saying that they had returned home from farming to find their 17-year-old daughter unconscious at home. Also in coma were a neighboring family of four and a large family who were celebrating a first birthday, a total of more than 30 people.

The mass incident was quickly reported to the police and then submitted to the Capital Gaming Administration through Wenchong.

Wenchong sped along the speeding line and arrived at the village called Hefu Village almost at lightning speed.

The village chief was standing at the door, pacing anxiously. When he saw Wen Chong and a string of police cars and ambulances rushing towards them, he almost cried.

Wen Chong opened the door and got out of the car, Tu Lanxun followed behind. The police officer from the police station next to the village chief came up to him and explained the case as they walked.

The village has a high level of development and is no different from a small commercial town. The houses along the way are not tall but flat and intact. The self-built houses are built like villas, with branches running through them and the roads are well-planned asphalt roads. It looks like a small resort.

Before they even entered the village, a man rushed over and cried, "Go and see! My daughter is dying!"

The village chief quickly helped the man and explained to Wen Chong, "This is the comrade from our village who reported the case. His name is Su Guangsheng. He was the one who found out when he got home..."

Before the village chief could finish, more people rushed over, all of them villagers who had come to watch the excitement. Every one of them had a look of panic on their faces. They were discussing, "What's going on? It's not contagious, is it?"

Wen Chong and the others hurried over. Su Guangsheng's home was a two-story, self-built house with a courtyard. His daughter was unconscious in the kitchen on the first floor. It was said that Su Guangsheng's wife had gone to Lucheng City to attend a relative's engagement party that day and had fortunately escaped harm.

Su Guangsheng's daughter Su Renjie had been moved to the bed, with her eyes closed tightly, but fortunately her breathing was steady and she could not be woken up no matter what.

Wen Chong walked over and took a look, and they looked at each other with a serious expression.

"It's weird." Tu Lanxun could feel the strong weird aura coming from Su Renjie.

The situation at the two nearby houses was even more horrific. On the left, a family of four collapsed on the dinner table, the porridge and dishes still steaming. On the right, the yard was filled with people, some with their faces soaked in their dishes, others curled up under the table, chopsticks still clinging to their hands, and red firecracker confetti scattered on the ground.

Fortunately, their vital signs are intact and they are not in danger of death.

It was as if someone blew a whistle nearby, and all these people who were carrying out their daily activities fell asleep as ordered.

Tu Lanxun roughly counted them and frowned instantly. All these unconscious victims had developed "yin and yang eyes".

"I'll go out and take a look," she said. "Maybe that thing hasn't gotten far."

Tu Lanxun walked under the shade of the tree, and Yan Hailing instantly appeared beside her, along with N and Yu Yehua, who had remained silent the entire time. "Can you find it?"

Yan Hailing said, "Let's give it a try."

There is no way to treat these villagers for the time being. They can only wait for them to grow the Yin-Yang eyes naturally, or, only by catching the culprit can they find a solution.

After a few minutes, Yan Hailing put down his pocket watch, looked down at Tu Lanxun, and said, "I found it, but... it seems to be the same strange thing as the one we located in the Li Yuanzhi case."

Tu Lanxun was not surprised and just asked, "Where is it?"

Yan Hailing said: "East."

To the east was the farmland of Hefu Village. After informing Wenchong of the situation, the group rushed out and drove east along the ridges of the fields, but they almost ran face to face with a car accident scene.

The right wheels of a red car were all stuck under the ridge of the field, and it was tilted to its side. There was an anti-peep film on the inside, but the car had been turned off for a long time and was dead silent.

Could it be another victim of some weird creation?

Tu Lanxun and Wenchong went over to surround the car, but before they could put out their hands, the car door opened automatically and a dashing woman in dark red jeans and a short white shirt jumped out. She had curly hair and was holding a black claw cage that looked like an octopus. A dirty red ball was struggling inside.

The woman tossed her curly hair back and said cheerfully, "Ah, Director Wen, long time no see."

Before Wen Chong could say anything, he saw the woman hop on one foot a few times, pull up the back of her low-heeled shoe, and then say, "I was trying so hard to grab it that I almost fell over. Ah, I almost have to pay insurance again. No, I have to file a report when I get home to get reimbursed."

Tu Lanxun felt that Wen Chong had relaxed and had no intention of continuing to chase the weird thing. The woman swung the octopus cage and walked in front of Tu Lanxun. Only then did she realize that the other party was not young, almost the same age as Wen Chong, but her fresh and lively energy made her look very young.

"Hello, my name is Bu Linlin." The woman stomped on the leg of her jeans.

Tu Lanxun shook hands. "Tu Lanxun, contracted consultant of the Lucheng South Branch. Also a candidate member of the Gaming Administration Bureau."

It turned out to be the soul nerve research expert. Bu Linlin said directly, "I came to the nearby area to look for research materials. As soon as I entered the village, I detected a strange signal. I chased it and even flipped the car. My driving skills are not usually this bad. It's all because this thing took my steering wheel."

In the octopus cage was the white-faced ghost in a red skirt, who contrasted beautifully with expert Bu Linlin in a white shirt and red pants.

Bu Linlin looked Tu Lanxun over and said, "You have quite a lot of stuff on you."

Tu Lanxun felt a chill on his spine, but Bu Linlin came closer and smiled, "I don't mean to treat you as research material. You're Director Wen's treasure. Let's go back to the village and take a look."

Wen Chong sighed and shook his head, following Bu Linlin. All the unconscious victims in the village were settled, and ambulances lined up and drove towards the city. The scene was spectacular. The village chief was doing the final confidentiality work with the onlookers.

"It's no use," Wen Chong said. "I bet the reporters' cars are already on the way, and they're coming in waves."

No one could do anything, so the monster in the octopus cage suffered the greatest malice. On the way back to Lucheng with the ambulance team, Wen Chong directly took the octopus cage and adjusted a locking wheel to the tightest. The monster inside hissed and screamed.

Thinking of Li Yuanzhi who died before taking the college entrance examination, Tu Lanxun felt that this was weird and not unfair at all.

Bu Linlin and Wen Chong have two different styles. Wen Chong is steady and gentle, and underneath he doesn't say a word. But Bu Linlin is a chatterbox, and her moves are always direct and to the point. She turned around and asked Tu Lanxun, "Hey, how's your weird community going?"

"They are ghosts, most of them are from Earth." Tu Lanxun felt the need to fight for some rights. "Even if we haven't harmed anyone, we will all have this day."

Bu Linlin steered the car with a carefree manner. Tu Lanxun noticed that the nail on her index finger had turned up, blood and flesh clotted. This must be the scar left by the recent fight with the monster. But Bu Linlin acted as if nothing had happened. She declared, "I didn't do it. Don't take me with you. If I die, I'll just reincarnate. I won't stay here."

In this way, they returned to Lucheng city amidst the questions and answers. The victim was admitted to the hospital for centralized observation by Chen Yusheng and four others. Tu Lanxun was taken back to Lucheng South Branch, and Bu Linlin said that he would be interrogated there.

Tu Lanxun thought Bu Linlin would use some technical means, but she just kept adjusting the octopus cage without asking any questions. He just listened to the weird screams of the red-skirted, white-faced creature for a full ten minutes before she got up, set up launchers around to prevent the creature from escaping, and then poured the red-skirted, white-faced creature out.

"I think we can communicate normally now." Bu Linlin smiled at the red and white group that slowly stood up from the ground.

The woman in red dress and white face still looked fierce, but she did not dare to violate Bu Linlin's boundaries at all.

Bu Linlin rested her hands on the table behind her and asked, "Who sent you?"

The woman in red skirt and white face remained silent.

Bu Linlin probably didn't like these strange things - or even most ghosts - so she walked straight to the octopus cage and stretched out her tentacles towards the red skirt and white face. The red skirt shrank back and uttered a hoarse sound: "I..."

Bu Linlin smiled: "That's right, when it comes to communication, we must have a positive attitude."

Wen Chong saw something was wrong. She wasn't wearing her glasses and walked over to him. He said, "Don't you want to wipe your face?"

Surrounded by Wen Chong and Bu Linlin, she offered no resistance, even against the ferocious presence. She silently wiped off the pale paint on her face, realizing that her terrifying appearance was all painted on. After the red-skirted, white-faced woman revealed her true form, Tu Lanxun suddenly spoke, "Zong Li?"

The strange person turned out to be Zong Li, who looked exactly like the woman who fell from the building in Junxi Manor.

Zong Li turned around, suspicious of the three people's thoughts, and realized that there was no chance of escape, so he said, "Yes, we meet again."

Wen Chong transferred the files and found that during the crackdown on Junxi Manor, only living people were captured. All the ghosts raised in Junxi Manor, including Zong Li, escaped and their whereabouts have been unknown.

Bu Linlin said firmly, "Don't waste my time, just say it directly."

The transmitter blocking the Fourth Treaty was still lit. Zong Li's silence had clearly exhausted Bu Linlin's limited patience. She walked over to the transmitter and said with a smile, "Don't your superiors want to break the Fourth Treaty? Okay, why don't we turn this off, and then you'll be wiped out."

Zong Li suddenly looked up: "Wait!"

Wen Chong took out his laptop to record the information. Zong Li thought for a few seconds, then finally let out a mocking smile. She said, "Have you heard of... the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth plan?"

Heaven on earth?

Tu Lanxun quickly thought of the password dstg, which just happened to form the first letters of "Heaven on Earth".

It also reflects the name of Tianguo Group.

"Yes, the heaven on earth." Zong Li said, "Everything we do is for this plan." A sleepwalking look appeared on her face.

Then, Zong Li turned around, put her arms behind her back with the flexibility of a broken bone, and pulled down the zipper on the back of her red skirt. A square chip was buried in her spine.

"This is what you want," Zong Li said. "But it's useless even if I give it to you. Kris's plan has been implemented in every aspect. You can't stop this car."

#

The Heaven on Earth plan was an idea that Kris, the CEO of the Heaven Group, came up with many years ago.

According to Zong Li, this Kris has always hoped to turn the earth into a space where ghosts are rampant.

In fact, when the mysterious invasion occurred six or seven years ago, human researchers' inference and study of the external universe data space was just child's play. It was actually Kris who did this earlier.

"This world not only has a group of intelligent life forms on Earth," Zong Li sighed, "but also many different dimensions, spaces that are difficult to observe from each other. You can explain them with celestial bodies, but they are truly parallel worlds."

"From Earth's perspective, those weird and terrifying things are just characters in the game, they are unreal. But from their world's perspective, they are real."

Wen Chong had already ordered Dong Yijian to be re-arrested for questioning. She couldn't help but ask, "What is the relationship between Kris and Dong Yijian, the director of Deshi Hospital?"

Zong Li shook his head and said, "I don't know. I only work for the Tianguo Group. I remember the last person who was supposed to take my position was named Nie, but then that Nie had a conflict with Kris, so I was chosen."

Zong Li's position didn't allow him to fully grasp the hidden secrets, so the conversation turned back to the case itself. Wen Chong asked, "According to the Tian Guo Group's instructions, you caused numerous victims to fall into comas, manipulated Shen Xiangqian to use the media company to lay the groundwork for terror, and even murdered Li Yuanzhi. Do you have anything to say?"

"I did it all." Zong Li had completely given up. "I have nothing to say."

Wen Chong pressed the issue, "Did you brainwash Shen Xiangqian?"

Zong Li sarcastically said, "He was originally someone we recruited. And that Li Yuanzhi, we didn't want to kill him. There are plenty of bloody videos online, but he just ran into his own death. Who can we blame?"

"Keep talking!" Wen Chong slammed the table.

Zong Li let out a breath. "That brat Li Yuanzhi was actually investigating Chen Yusheng's coma, and he even got ahold of the case. He actually privately spoke with the families of the four people who were still alive in the coma, and quickly zeroed in on Shen Xiangqian. Shen Xiangqian was the only one who had crossed paths with all four of them."

Tu Lanxun couldn't help but recall the identities and backgrounds of the four victims. In addition to Chen Yusheng, who was a high school student, there was another one who was a vegetable vendor in a nearby fresh food market, a white-collar worker who worked nearby, and the last one was the parent of a high school student.

Although they seem to have nothing in common, their living spaces together form Shen Xiangqian's daily path.

Chen Yusheng and Shen Xiangqian live in the same building. The fresh food market is where Shen Xiangqian buys groceries. The white-collar worker's workplace is next to Shen Xiangqian's media company. Parents of high school students also pass by the old community on their way to pick up and drop off their children. In order to avoid traffic jams, they often park next to the old community.

Zong Li suddenly laughed. "We never imagined that Li Yuanzhi would come up with a social practice project to investigate this matter. He and a few classmates, armed with a bag of stationery and snacks for the charity sale, along with a work-related social survey form, knocked on the doors of nearby residents. They even ended up near Shen Xiangqian's crappy company."

Li Yuanzhi is indeed a top student. He actually completed such a meticulous investigation alone. It cannot be explained by a teenager's detective complex.

Zong Li was taken away by Wenchong, and the result came out from Li Ao's side. Zhou Dadong targeted Li Yuanzhi just because he liked the girl at the radio station who always bought him milk tea. Zong Li confessed that this was also the reason why she chose to occupy the body of the girl at the radio station.

"Li Yuanzhi is really Chen Yusheng's good friend. But parents and teachers don't know that they have such a good relationship." Wenchong said.

Bu Linlin smiled. "The friendship may not be very deep, but the loyalty is real. What a pity for this child." Bu Linlin looked out the window. "If he were still alive, he would definitely be a good candidate to join our team."

Three days later, Li Yuanzhi's funeral ended hastily. Tu Lanxun, Wenchong and others came to pay their respects. In addition to Li Yuanzhi's classmates, they also met Chen Yusheng's father, Pan Min and the female classmate from the radio station who always bought milk tea.

Amidst the white flowers in the mourning hall, Li Yuanzhi's youthful smiling face solidified into black and white, as if transformed into eternity.

#

Tu Lanxun returned to the convenience store, and her life seemed to be divided into two parts. One part was the shrewd convenience store owner and community manager, and the other part was involved in endless murder investigations and huge conspiracies.

"So, has the issue of the Yin-Yang Eyes been resolved in the end?" Sonia chewed on a chocolate truffle.

Tu Lanxun looked down at the account book. "The Game Management Bureau is studying the ghost chip in Zong Li to see if they can crack it. However, the psychological guidance plan for the comatose person with Yin-Yang Eyes after he wakes up has been implemented."

The potato pancake kitten jumped around, forced itself to lie on the account book painted with blue ink, and rubbed the corners of the pages with its cat face.

Tu Lanxun looked up and calmed herself down. Sonia suddenly stared at her and smiled: "You must be very busy lately, but I advise you to go see him." She pointed to the second floor.

"What are you looking at?" Tu Lanxun began to rub Shu Bing's face.

"Hey, my great advisor, you've become rich." Sonia took out another bag of snacks that didn't come from a convenience store. They were chestnuts cooked by Suo Fanhua herself. She bit one open and scooped out the flesh with a chocolate cookie spoon. "You're worth a lot now, and your career path is just around the corner. Some people are scared."

Tu Lanxun was still immersed in the accounts just now, vaguely understanding what Suoniya meant, "Ah... okay..."

Sonia brushed off the chestnut residue on her body and said, "How long has it been since you last spoke to him? He was demoted from the leading actor to a special guest, and now his status has been declining. I'm not saying, do you want someone to make a complete exit?"

Tu Lanxun stood up. She had indeed neglected N too much during this period of time. She had become accustomed to his presence, just like carrying an ornament with her. And N's importance had indeed changed from an indispensable helper to a pendant that was rarely remembered, at least from her own perspective.

Pinching his eyebrows, Tu Lanxun turned and went upstairs, where he saw N sitting in the middle of a wall of neatly arranged boxes, hugging his knees and reading his wordless book.

Ah, a sudden feeling of guilt came over her. She seemed like one of those evil relatives who locked the poor orphan in the attic.

“…” N looked up at Tu Lanxun, then lowered his head to turn the page, his expression unchanged.

Tu Lanxun walked over, squatted in front of him, and said pitifully: "Why are you ignoring me?"

The last time they had an in-depth conversation was when they uncovered the kidnapping case. Tu Lanxun then plunged into the case and has been busy non-stop until now.

N still ignored her, staring at the book with his broken peach blossom eyes, but Tu Lanxun felt that he was not reading, just staring at the tip of her nose in silence.

The tip of his nose was so straight that when caught by the light, it could easily be mistaken for a tear about to fall.

"Can we talk?" Tu Lanxun pushed his knee.

N raised his head again and uttered a short, “Hmm?”

Tu Lanxun said introspectively, "I know I've been a little neglectful of you lately...and our friendship. After all, we're best friends. Can you please forgive me? Or maybe just vent your anger on me."

N closed the book and looked her in the eye: "Do I have the right to 'forgive' you?"

Tu Lanxun choked and couldn't help but get a little angry, but he patiently stroked the hair, "Of course, I was wrong. But you know me, I'm very career-oriented, that is, utilitarian. I always want to find a lot of security, so... Hey, actually, when you first met me, weren't you also bad-tempered?"

She made a funny neck-strangling gesture.

N was a little moved, his gaze turning from cold to gentle. He looked at Tu Lanxun seriously, "So, are you living the life you originally dreamed of?"

Tu Lanxun quickly realized that this was not a sarcastic tone, but a serious inquiry.

There's a lot of subtext.

N was actually still asking: Did my appearance disrupt your original plan? I'm sorry. Now that everything is back on track, is it time for me to exit?

If Tu Lanxun wanted, he could always retreat to the position of an ordinary collaborator and become an indispensable but not special member of the convenience store ghosts.

Fate has taught him to accept everything.

Then she can pursue a wider world.

He will forever gaze from behind, buried beneath the earthen slope with all his unfulfilled and disillusioned desires, both in life and after death. His soul will be an ordinary friend, a tool and footnote to Tu Lanxun's story, until the day he disappears.

The sense of boundaries contained in it made Tu Lanxun feel a little uncomfortable.

She rubbed her eyes, moved closer again, and said loudly, "What are you talking about!"

N wanted to avoid her gaze, but Tu Lanxun grabbed his wrist. He could have broken free with a slight movement, but he couldn't move and just let her hold him, turning his eyes away to the corner.

Tu Lanxun's nose felt sore, and he suddenly had a long-lost feeling of being abandoned.

The last time was seven years ago when she was tied up in the warehouse, but the difference was that this time it seemed like she didn't do a good job.

"No one in the world knows who I am better than you, and vice versa! Tell me, can we still be separated?"

It was rare for Tu Lanxun to express herself so passionately. Her fingers pressed against the edge of N's wrist and glove, but her fingertips and skin were cold and wouldn't warm them up. So Tu Lanxun made a startling decision.

She lunged forward, burying herself on N's body like a stubborn sheep to keep warm, pushing him backward. Then, with her head down, she said, "Don't you want me anymore? Do you want me to want you? Do you want me to want you too?"

A hand suddenly and gently covered her head, interrupting this sticky tongue twister.

N gently stroked her naturally curly hair, so softly that it was almost inaudible, "Tu Lanxun, to you... who am I?"

His voice was still calm, and it was slid out by the air flow through his vocal cords, with some confusion.

It was as if he was asking Tu Lanxun, and also asking himself, why he didn't belong anywhere. Apart from the cold fate, nothing in the world was willing to take him in.

Why.

Why did it become a scary symbol called "N".

Tu Lanxun felt a gentle pressure on the back of her head, afraid that the feather-like force would dissipate. Heat welled in her eyes. She whispered quietly but firmly, "Nan Xishan... You are Nan Xishan..."

"You helped me fight off the weird Nan Xishan. You are my good friend Nan Xishan. You are the Nan Xishan who cooks for everyone every morning. You are the Nan Xishan that we all love..."

N's movement of stroking the back of Tu Lanxun's head suddenly stopped.

He withdrew his arm from her side and pinched her ear, and Tu Lanxun grabbed that hand, and for the first time carefully held the right palm, which he never took off the gloves, and held it in his hand.

It was cold as death and would never be warm again, yet it was full of strength from the metacarpal bones to the fingertips.

Tu Lanxun stroked it inch by inch, but was surprised to find that the lines of the fingers and palms under the black leather gloves were not straight. Some places were unreasonably thick, and some places had weird angles and could not be put together perfectly.

Like some minor deformity that can't be fixed.

N let out a laugh that wasn't quite a laugh, then held the blue-painted xiao in his hand and said, "Do you want to see it take off its gloves?"